A primary portable device to access a vehicle by transmitting an activation message including a vehicle access credential to the vehicle is known. The primary portable device can additionally enable a secondary portable device to access the vehicle by transmitting the vehicle access credential to the secondary portable device. The connections between the primary portable device, secondary portable device, and vehicle can be based on a short-range wireless protocol, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE
Likewise, an electronic key system may include a vehicle equipped with vehicle equipment, and a mobile phone having an electronic key function including ID information for the vehicle equipment. The vehicle equipment compares the ID information of the electronic key provided in the mobile phone with standard ID information of the vehicle equipment, makes the vehicle and/or the vehicle equipment perform a first operation when the ID information matches and a second operation when the ID information cannot be detected. The vehicle equipment transmits history information along with the first and second operations to the mobile phone.
A wireless device for providing secure operation of a vehicle may operate according to a method where a key for accessing a vehicle is detected, a vehicle operation policy associated with the key is retrieved, and operation of the vehicle consistent with the vehicle operation policy is permitted. The key may be embedded within a wireless device such as a cellular telephone. The vehicle operation policy may include an access control rule that may indicate to enable, partially enable, or disable a vehicle operation feature. Where the intended operation of the vehicle is not consistent with the access control rule, the operation may not be permitted and an enforcement action may be taken, such as disabling a feature of the vehicle.
A cell phone may be mated with the vehicle system and thereafter used to obtain access to the vehicle. A user who has a cell phone automatically can obtain access to the vehicle. A USB key may provide access to the vehicle, and in an emergency, either a complete or partial version of the key can be downloaded from a server. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,947,202; 8,232,864; 8,089,339; and U.S. Pat. App. US2009/0184800.